Angiographic evaluation of hepatoma for surgical treatment.

Celiac and superior mesenteric arteriography of 60 patients with primary carcinoma of the liver was evaluated retrospectively to select patients properly for hepatic lobectomy, ligation of the hepatic artery or temporary occlusion of the hepatic artery. The angiograms were studied from the viewpoints of origin of the hepatic artery, location of hepatomas, macroscopic type of hepatomas, tumor supplying arteries, patency of the portal vein and coexistence of cirrhosis of the liver. It is stressed that an exact knowledge of these items before operation is important in performing any type of surgical treatment for patients with hepatomas. Resectability of the tumor in the present series of patients was possible in 11 patients, and in the recently seen patients with nonresectable hepatomas, ligation or repeated temporary occlusion of the hepatic artery or both have been performed with postoperative infusion chemotherapy.